Harlem strike down WASA
Ian Prescott iprescott@trinidadexpress.com
Friday, July 27th 2007
hold him: Randy Ramcharan, left, captain of Harlem Strikers, makes sure Keston Thomas of WASA FC does not get away during Wednesday's bmobile National Super League knockout semi-final. Strikers won 2-1 and will now meet Joe Public in the final.
ANCIL ELCOCK looked like an expectant father, pacing the sidelines at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, nervously anticipating reaching his first major final as a coach.
In his heyday, when a regular at right back in the Trinidad and Tobago senior national team and a professional with Columbus Crew in United States Major League Soccer, Elcock was known to have sponsored a team in the Frederick Settlement district of Caroni, an area dubbed "Harlem" because of its notorious past.
On Wednesday, Elcock's Harlem Strikers were desperately holding onto Brent Antoine's 54th minute strike, giving them a 2-1 advantage over opponents WASA FC, who were applying plenty late pressure.
Earlier, the first half of Wednesday's bmobile National Super League semi-final had ended 1-1, with Billydee Scantlebury putting league leaders WASA ahead after 22 minutes, only for Micah Andrew to pull the underdogs level two minutes later.
A few hundred supporters were on hand and they were making big noise. WASA fans were laying on heavy picong, but the game really reached fever pitch with Antoine's spectacular goal.
Brushing aside a tackle from veteran Shurland David, Antoine raced into a shooting position up the left flank, before unleashing a powerful left-footer from outside the penalty area. WASA keeper Douglas McNeilly stuck out a leg, but by then the ball was long past him and threatening to burst the net.
Fan and foe alike were stunned. It certainly was a goal worthy of taking a team to the final, but, before the end, there were several nervous moments for both Harlem Strikers and their coach.
Having led WASA to the National FA Trophy title last season, coach Ken Elie knew a few tricks and quickly made a double change, bringing on dribbler Darin Lewis and Mark Latapy. It almost brought immediate results when a piece of trickery saw Lewis skillfully elude his marker and then force keeper Marvin Alfred to fend his shot off the frame of the Strikers goal.
Striker Scantlebury also had a free kick turned wide, as WASA piled on late pressure.
Led by stout midfield work from their captain Randy Rancharan, an ex-Caledonia AIA and St Augustine Senior Comprehensive player, there was no doubting how much Harlem wanted victory.
At the back they took no chances late on and defender Dave Alexander skied a clearance straight out of the "Ato Boldon", while his stopper Michael Andrews almost did the same soon after.
In the dying minutes, coach Elcock then played his final card, making two substitutions, including bringing on the fresh legs of Anthony Dass to kill a few seconds in the final three minutes of added-on time.
Harlem's Lorenzo King also did his part, taking his own time to come off the field for the substitution and knocking a few more seconds off the clock. It worked. And there is hardly likely to be a louder cheer at the end of a match, except maybe if Harlem come out victorious when they meet Joe Public in the final.
NATIONAL SUPER LEAGUE KNOCKOUT RESULTS:
Semi-final
Harlem Strikers 2 (Micah Andrews 24th, Brent Antoine 54th) WASA FC 1 (Billydee Scantlebury 22nd).
